The increased popularity of recreational boating has also increased the popularity of certain water sports such as water skiiing in which an individual is pulled at the end of a tow rope at relatively high speeds behind a boat. Such sports as water skiing involve certain hazards, particularly when the participant either falls or lets loose of the tow rope. The individual becomes visually disconnected with the towing vessel and, sinking into the water, becomes increasingly less visible to other boaters in the area.
In recognition of this problem, many states specified certain safety precautions. Firstly, the individuals operating the boat are required to quickly return to a downed skier. At the same time, it is advisable and often required that a signal be displayed, identifying the situation that an individual or individuals are in the water in the vicinity of the boat. As a result, safety-conscious individuals will carry a flag at the end of a fixed standard. When a water sport participant falls or lets go of the tow rope, an individual "spotter" in the boat will immediately elevate the flag and alert the operator of the boat to return immediately to the downed individual. The difficulty that has been experienced, however, is that regardless of the safety consciousness, the flags are misplaced and eventually become unused. This is also due in part to the fact that the "spotter" is often unwilling or unable to hold a signal flag aloft for extended periods of time, especially in a boat that is making a quick turn and a fast return to the downed individual. It is also difficult for the "spotter" to hold the flag aloft while performing other duties such as retrieving the tow rope or skis, etc. dropped by the individual in the water.
In response to the above problem, several attempts have been made to provide signal devices that eliminate the need for an individual to hold a flag aloft.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,188 discloses a ski boat warning apparatus. This device includes a flag system that will automatically operate upon release of a tow line to elevate a flag from a stowed condition within an upright, above deck exposed tubular enclosure. The longitudinally rigid flag standard is slidably supported within a tubular enclosure and is spring-biased toward an upward, extended position. The standard is connected to the tow rope through a pulley mechanism so the tension along the tow rope will normally pull the flag standard downwardly into the tube against resistance of the spring. Then, when the skier lets loose of the tow rope, the spring will be allowed to extend and elevate the standard.
The standard is rigid along its entire length and the tubular container for the standard is positioned above the deck surface of the tow boat. Thus, the entire assembly is exposed constantly and may become both a visual and physical obstruction.
Additionally, U.S. Pat. No. 3,602,188 discloses a flag assembly that may be removable from the rigid standard. This is done to enable the standard to be situated in the upwardly extended position when the boat is not being used to pull a skier. Thus, the standard is normally in an upwardly extended position and is retracted into the tubular storage arrangement only when a person applies tension to a tow rope behind the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,786,778 discloses a signal device for water skiing which pivots on the deck of a boat. The base of an extendable standard is mounted to a deck or other exposed surface of the boat to pivot between a relatively horizontal inoperative position and an upright, operative position. The standard telescopes to facilitate upward extension of the signal flag and compact storage of the flag and standard above the mount surface of the boat.
U.S. Pat. No. 4,122,796 discloses another pivoted type signal flag used on water ski boats or the like. Again, this device mounts above a deck surface of the boat and includes a standard that pivots between a horizontal stowed position and an upright operative position.
A substantially similar arrangement to the pivoted flags discussed above is shown in U.S. Pat. Nos. 4,545,320, 3,735,724, and 4,640,213.
Of the above references, none provide a completely adequate solution to the problem of providing a reliable warning system for elevating a signal flag on a marine vessel such as a ski boat, and that will be adequately stowed below deck when not in use.
Another difficulty experienced by recreational boaters is a lack of an adequate antenna for radios. Many recreational boats are supplied with standard AM-FM radios. However, such vessels are very infrequently supplied with extended antennas. This is due at least in part to the fact that the owners do not wish to have the deck surface of the boats cluttered with objects that visually interfere with the typically smooth, sweeping lines of the boat hull and deck configuration. This is also due to the fact that the boats are typically extremely expensive even without "options". Optional items are usually purchased only when there is a demonstrated need. The standard radios supplied with boats operate adequately if the boating area is near a radio transmitter. Thus, antennas are normally avoided as unnecessary additional cost to an already expensive recreational "toy".
The present invention provides an excellent solution to the problems experienced by others in the design of marine safety signal flags, and to the need for radio antennas for marine use.
It is an objective of the present invention to provide a self-storing signalling device that will stow in a subsurface, unobtrusive position such that the standard when not in use will not present a physical or visual obstruction along the deck or other exposed surfaces of a boat.
It is a further objective to provide such a standard mechanism that can be utilized with interchangeable flags. For example, the present flag assembly may be utilized as well for identifying the presence of divers, simply by facilitating exchange of the standard skier or water tow sport signal flag with the standard diver identification flag.
It is a still further objective to provide such a flag arrangement in which the flag may be removed entirely and the standard be utilized as a conventional radio antenna.
It is a still further objective to provide such a device that may be automated to the extent that an operator may simply actuate a switch on a control panel to cause the flag to be elevated or withdrawn below the deck surface.
These and still further objectives and advantages will become apparent upon reading the following detailed description which, taken with the accompanying drawings, disclose preferred forms of the present invention.